NFL Week 14 Power Rankings: 49ers replace Eagles as No. 1 team after dominant win
On a day where the Ravens (9-3) enjoyed the final hours of their bye week, the NFL’s hierarchy changed dramatically after the 49ers’ 42-19 win over the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
Kansas City’s loss caused a shuffling atop the AFC rankings, with the Chiefs spiraling to fourth in the conference after their Sunday night loss.
The Steelers and Browns suffered losses, while the Houston Texans continued their rise with a stunning win over the Broncos.
With preparation for Week 14 set to begin, there’s a new team atop the NFL Power Rankings.
Carollina Panthers 1-11
Playing their first game under interim coach Chris Tabor, Carolina (1-11) scored late to pull within a field goal, but No. 1 overall draft pick Bryce Young threw an interception with just over two minutes remaining, as the Panthers dropped to 1-11 with a 21-18 loss to the Buccaneers.
Young completed 15 of 31 passes for 178 yards and an interception, and the rookie was sacked four times just days after Carolina fired Frank Reich 11 games into the coach’s first season leading the Panthers.
New England Patriots 2-10
New England (2-10) benched quarterback Mac Jones in favor of Bailey Zappe, but still lost its fifth in a row and were shutout at home for the second time this season, 6-0 by the Chargers.
It was the third time in a row that the Patriots gave up 10 or fewer points — and lost. They are the first team to do that since the 1938 Chicago Cardinals per ESPN.
Zappe was sacked five times, and was 13 for 25 for 141 yards with 0 interceptions.
Washington Commanders 4-9
Washington (4-9) played their first game with coach Ron Rivera calling the defensive plays following his decision to fire coordinator Jack Del Rio, and the results were the same.
The Commanders lost their fourth game in a row and have been outscored 90-25 over the past two. They’ve lost nine of 11 since opening the season with back-to-back victories, and allowed five catches for 157 yards and 2 touchdowns to Tyreek Hill in dramatic fashion.
New York Jets 4-8
Playing in a torrential downpour at MetLife Stadium, the Jets (4-8) got an early safety but didn’t muster any other productive offense in losing their fifth straight game. The Jets benched quarterback Tim Boyle and replaced him with Trevor Siemian in the fourth quarter hoping for a spark.
The 13-8 loss all but assured Aaron Rodgers won’t be returning this season.
Arizona Cardinals 3-10
Head coach Jonathan Gannon scored another huge upset, this time is Arizona Cardinals defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 24-10.
James Conner scores twice against his old team, and the Steelers saw Kenny Pickett exit with a significant ankle injury.
Conner ran for 105 yards and two touchdowns against his former team and Murray improved to 2-2 since returning from a torn ACL in his right knee as the Cardinals (3-10) won at Pittsburgh for the first time since 1969.
Tennessee Titans 4-8
Tennessee (4-8) lost its first home game in Nashville this season and has yet to win consecutive games overall after blowing a 17-7 lead.
The Colts sacked rookie Will Levis six times and the Titans lost despite outgaining the visitors 381-355. Tennessee held the ball for more than 38 minutes.
New York Giants 4-8
The battered Giants were off in Week 13 with a bye and will return to face the surging Packers.
Chicago Bears 4-8
The Bears had a Week 13 bye, and will return this week on a one game winning streak after an impressive win over the Vikings two weeks ago.
New Orleans Saints 5-7
After sitting atop the NFC South less than a month ago, the Saints have now lost three straight games after a 33-28 setback against the Lions.
The Saints lost starting quarterback Derek Carr in the fourth quarter to back, shoulder and head injuries after a questionable hit by defensive lineman Bruce Irvin as he released a pass.
Jameis Winston replaced Carr, who has been forced to exit three games this season with upper-body injuries or concussion symptoms.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7)
Mike Evans went over 1,000 yards for 10th straight year on a 75 yard touchdown catch and the Bucs beat Panthers 21-18.
Evans joined Hall of Famer Jerry Rice as the only players in NFL history to put together 10 consecutive seasons with 1,000-plus yards receiving.
The Bucs (5-7) won for only the second time in the past eight games, and are now tied for second place in the weak NFC South.
Los Angeles Chargers 5-7
The Chargers got a much-needed win, beating a team on a worse spiral then their own.
Cameron Dicker made a pair of 38-yard field goals, and punter JK Scott pinned the Patriots inside their 20 yard-line seven times to give the Chargers a 6-0 victory over the New England Patriots and backup quarterback, Bailey Zappe.
The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for Los Angeles (5-7) and sent the Patriots to their fifth consecutive loss.
Khalil Mack recorded two sacks on the day, raising his total to 15 on the season.
Las Vegas Raiders 5-7
The Raiders got a much-needed bye week after losing two straight. They’ll return in Week 14 to face Justin Jefferson and the Vikings.
Cincinnati Bengals 5-6
The Bengals have suffered three straight losses and will look slow dow a surging Jaguars team at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville.
Seattle Seahawks 6-6
The Seahawks have lost three straight and have fallen out of the 7th playoff spot following a 41-35 defeat at Dallas on Thursday night.
Geno Smith had 334 yards passing, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception in the loss, but late drops and blown coverages cost Seattle the upset.
Minnesota Vikings 6-6
The Vikings are coming off a bye and evaluating their quarterback position after Joshua Dobbs’s four turnover performance in a Week 12 loss to the Bears.
Minnesota will have a healthy Justin Jefferson back in the lineup.
Denver Broncos 6-6
Russell Wilson threw for 186 yards with a touchdown, but tossed a season high three interceptions in Denver’s first loss since Oct. 12.
The loss dropped Denver into 9th in the AFC.
Green Bay Packers 6-6
The Packers have won 4-5, and the team moved to 6-6 after a 27-19 win over the Chiefs at Lambeau Field.
Jordan Love was 25-36 passing, for 267 yards and 3 touchdowns, while Christian Watson was explosive, logging 7 catches for 71 yards and two touchdowns before exiting with a hamstring injury.
Los Angeles Rams 6-6
Matthew Stafford threw for 3 TD passes as the Rams won their 3rd straight, 36-19 over the Browns at SoFi Stadium.
The win put the Los Angeles Rams into the 7th and final playoff spot.
Atlanta Falcons 6-6
Second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder threw a 20-yard pass to MyCole Pruitt in the second quarter for the game’s only touchdown and the Falcons took over sole possession of first place in the NFC South with a 13-8 victory over the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
Atlanta entered tied atop the division with New Orleans, which lost to Detroit, but the Falcons (6-6) have back-to-back victories for the first time since opening the season with wins over Carolina and Green Bay.
Buffalo Bills 6-6
Buffalo enjoyed a much-needed bye after a 38-35 loss to Philadelphia in overtime two weeks ago.
They’ll return to face the Chiefs at Arrowhead after Kansas City was upset by the Packers.
Pittsburgh Steelers 7-5
Former Pitt Panthers star James Conner ran for 105 yards and two scores against his former team and Kyler Murray improved to 2-2 since returning from a torn ACL in his right knee as the Cardinals (3-10) won at Pittsburgh for the first time since 1969.
The Steelers (7-5) failed to produce a turnover and allowed three Arizona drives that reached the red zone to end with a touchdown.
Pittsburgh will face the Patriots in Week 14 in a must-win game as they cling to the 5th playoff spot.
Indianapolis Colts 7-5
Gardner Minshew threw for two touchdowns, including one in overtime, as the Colts won their 4th straight gae, taking down the Titans, 31-28.
Minshew threw for 312 yards and two touchdowns as he won his fourth straight game for the first time in his five NFL seasons. Michael Pittman finished with 11 catches for 105 yards with the game-winning TD, and Alec Pierce had three receptions for 100 yards and a TD.
Cleveland Browns 7-5
The Browns (7-5) remain in the AFC’s 7th playoff, but they’re fading fast after dropping their second game in a row.
Joe Flacco became the fourth quarterback to start a game for Cleveland this season when he went 23 of 44 for 254 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. The 38-year-old was signed on Nov. 20 to the practice squad and elevated to the active roster this week after Dorian Thompson-Robinson suffered a concussion in last Sunday’s loss at Denver.
Houston Texans 7-5
Nico Collins had 191 yards receiving, an Jimmie Ward made a game saving interception as the Texans defeated the Broncos, 22-17 on Sunday.
Rookie C.J. Stroud threw for 274 yards to end a streak of four straight games with at least 300 yards passing, while Tank Dell will miss the rest of the season after breaking his left fibula in the first quarter.
Houston rookie defensive end Will Anderson Jr., the third overall pick in the draft, had the best game of his young career. The former Alabama star had two sacks, and four quarterback hits.
Jacksonville Jaguars 8-3
Lawrence and the Jaguars will look to move up in the AFC playoff seeding with a win over the struggling Bengals on Monday night football.
With Kansas City’s loss, a Jacksonville win would keep the AFC North leaders into third place overall, and tied with the Ravens and Dolphins with 9 wins.
Detroit Lions 8-3
Rookie tight end Sam LaPorta had a career high nine catches for 140 yards, and a touchdown as Detroit defeated the New Orleans Saints 33-28 on Sunday to post its best record through 12 games since 1962.
Jared Goff passed for 213 yards and two TDs for the NFC North-leading Lions (9-3), while the Saints (5-7) fell one game behind first-place Atlanta in the league’s weakest division, the NFC South.
Miami Dolphins 9-3
With the Ravens (9-3) on a bye, the Dolphins (9-3) moved into first place in the AFC with a 45-15 beatdown of the Washington Commanders.
Tyreek Hill had five catches for 157 yards, and two touchdowns as Miami moved to 9-3 for the first time since 2001.
Kansas City Chiefs 8-4
Patrick Mahomes was 21 of 31 for 210 yards with a touchdown pass and an interception for the Super Bowl champion Chiefs (8-4), who lost in front of pop superstar Taylor Swift for the first time.
Kansas City still leads the AFC West but fell to the fourth spot in the AFC playoff picture.
Dallas Cowboys (9-3)
Dak Prescott threw three touchdown passes and the Cowboys won their 14th consecutive home game, rallying to beat the Seahawks 41-35 on Thursday night at AT&T Stadium.
Cowboys (9-3) set up a rematch with NFC East rival Philadelphia (10-2) by winning their fourth straight game since falling to the Eagles 28-23 to start November.
Philadelphia Eagles 10-2
The Eagles played their third game in 13 days, and it showed on Sunday afternoon, as the home team was dominated by a motivated 49ers squad, 42-19.
Jalen Hurts was 26-45 passing, for 298 yards, 1 passing touchdown and 0 interceptions. Hurts also had 7 carries for 20 yards and 1 touchdown as a rusher, scoring his 100th career NFL touchdown.
Baltimore Ravens (9-3)
Jackson and the Ravens will return from the bye as the top team in the AFC power rankings, but the No. 2 team in playoff seedings after the Dolphins blowout win over Washington.
San Francisco 49ers 9-3
Deebo Samuel had three total touchdowns, and Brock Purdy was nearly perfect, going 19-27 for 314 yards, four touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and a flawless 148.8 rating.
San Francisco was 8-11 on third downs and gashed Philadelphia for 456 total yards after finishing the first quarter with negative yardage.
